25 Dec
Posted by David Miller as Card Games, Electronic Games, Modern Board Games, RPGs, War Games
Spin Master has singed a 3 year licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products for DC comics properties. The agreement covers games, puzzles, action toys, remote control and robotic vehicles, and water toys beginning in spring 2020.
PlayMonster (5 Second Rule, Yeti in My Spaghetti) is partnering with Audax Private Equity to finance additional expansion through “organic growth and add-on acquisitions.”
Goliath continues to grow, acquiring U.K. based Vivid Toy Group and moving in to the Italian market through a partnership with distributor MacDue. With the acquisition of Vivid, Goliath plans to launch 20 new games in the U.K. market next year.
Drumond Park has signed on with Tomy UK as exclusive distributor for all the former’s games in the U.K. and Ireland.
NSKN Games (Dice Settlers, Teotihuacan) and Board & Dice Games (Beet Empire, Dice Brewing) are merging. The combined company will continue operations under the Board & Dice name.
With the passing of designer Greg Stafford and earlier Stewart Wieck, of the games’ latest publisher, Nocturnal Media, the RPGs King Arthur Pendragon and Prince Valliant have been transferred again to Chaosium.
After a couple of messy PR situations involving insensitive or extremist material in game books, Paradox Interactive is stepping back from the publishing business but not abandoning the World of Darkness altogether. Instead, Paradox is moving to a licensing model and integrating White Wolf’s operations in to the parent company. Modiphius Entertainment, which was already handling distribution, is taking over development and publication for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition. This will include production of various supplements (such as The Fall of London Chronicle and Players Guide), as well as oversight of other licensees (Onyx Path Publishing, Elderwood Academy, Dogmight Games, and others).
Impressions Game Distribution Services is being acquired by Flat River Group. The latter is a toy and game distribution company with business in e-commerce and crowdfunding fulfillment. Impressions founder Aldo Ghiozzi will continue with the combined company.
Scientific Games and Hasbro have extended their license agreement through 2025. The agreement covers the use of Hasbro properties, including Monopoly, Battleship, Clue, Yahtzee, and others for lotteries, slot machines, online gaming, and now also table games.
Video game maker, Paradox Interactive, has purchased White Wolf Publishing from CCP Games. The deal covers all intellectual property rights associated with the World of Darkness, Vampire, and Werewolf. In its announcement of the move, Paradox stated that White Wolf will remain an independent subsidiary with a dedicated team located in Stockholm, Sweden.
As a separate company owned by Paradox Interactive, White Wolf is dedicated to bringing its gritty and mature brand of participatory storytelling to fans new and old. This vision will be realized in multiple digital games titles, across a full range of media and immersive live-action events.
No further information has yet been provided as to whether the transfer will impact the licenses held by Onyx Path Publishing to produce WoD and other tabletop RPGs.